Tornado watch until 10 a.m. for metro region

9:30 a.m. Update:Tornado warning in effect for southern Prince George's and north central Charles county until 10 a.m. NWS indicates doppler radar indicated tornado near Waldorf moving northeast at 45 mph. Locations in possible path include Clinton. Take cover if you live in that area.

9:10 a.m. Update: Heavy showers and storms, with 50+ mph wind gust potential, are impacting eastern Fairfax and Montgomery counties. This activity will push east and northeast toward the District and western Prince George's county in the next 30-45 minutes. Further north A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is in effect for Howard and Baltimore counties (until 10:15 a.m.) where 60+ mph wind gusts are possible.

Keep reading for earlier updates and information about the Tornado Watch...

8:10 a.m. Update: A line of strong storms moving west to east across the far northern suburbs has prompted a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 8:45 a.m. for northern Montgomery County, northern Howard County and eastern Frederick County. As with storms earlier this morning, winds gusts to near 60 mph are a threat. Montgomery Village and Damascus are among the locations that could see these storms.

6:20 a.m. Update: The line of heavy rain and strong wind that had been approaching and moving into western and northwestern suburbs has weakened. So at the moment, no Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are in effect in the metro area. However, the entire metro area remains under the gun for moderate to heavy rains (rain rates up to 1" per hour) through the morning commute and the potential for wind gusts of 50-60 mph+ that could bring down trees and cause power outages.

5:50 a.m. Update: The line of heaviest rain and strongest winds is now entering eastern Loudoun County, and in the next 45 minutes or so may clip northwestern Fairfax County and reach into Montgomery and Frederick counties. These areas are under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning until 6:30 a.m. The entire metro area remains under the gun for moderate to heavy rains (rain rates up to 1" per hour) through the morning commute and the potential for wind gusts of 50-60 mph+ that could bring down trees and cause power outages.

5:15 a.m. Update:Severe Thunderstorm Warnings are in effect until 5:45 a.m. for most of Fauquier (also under a Flash Flood Warning) and Stafford counties, southern Loudoun County, the western half of Prince William County, and the western fringe of Fairfax County. While there doesn't seem to be much lightning with these storms, the winds are the real concern, with gusts in excess of 60 mph possible according to NWS. These warnings, winds and heavy rain are likely to advance east through the metro area over the next couple hours.

4:50 a.m. Update: Moderate to heavy rain is now falling in Loudoun and Fauquier counties, the latter of which is under a Flash Flood Warning until 10:30 a.m. NWS warns, "IN HILLY TERRAIN THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF LOW WATER CROSSINGS WHICH ARE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS IN HEAVY RAIN. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TRAVEL ACROSS FLOODED ROADS."

SPC cautions: "Tornadoes...hail to 0.5 inch in diameter...thunderstorm wind gusts to 70 mph...and dangerous lightning are possible in these areas."

It notes: "Main severe threat will be isolated damaging wind from [straight line winds]...but a short-lived tornado or two cannot be ruled out."

Showers and thunderstorms, with heavy rain and the potential for these damaging winds, will push through the metro region between 4 a.m. and about 9 or 10 a.m. If a tornado warning is issued for your area, seek shelter in a basement or, if no basement, an interior room on the lowest level where you live.

This storm has been a nightmare in Jefferson County and it's far from over. High winds, hard rain, tornado watch, flood warning. Forget getting any sleep last night--I never even took off my coat and boots.

So have we got enough warnings, watches, and advisories going on? Flash flood watch, tornado watch, wind advisory, severe thunderstorm warning, coastal flood advisory, and to top it off a "special weather statement". We don't get this many things issued all at once even at the height of thunderstorm season. What a wild weather day.

It's hard to interpret, but are you saying it might not be safe to be out on a bike?

In seriousness, I'm wondering if it's reasonable to expect that by 10 or 11am I should be able to ride safely to work in FFX county? Or are these 60+mph gusty wind potentials going to remain that strong enough beyond that?

It was absolutely wild. Worse than the surprise system a couple of weeks ago. In fact, worst system I've seen in a while. It just would not give over, at least in my neck of the woods. The winds have diminished slightly (knock wood) so I might dare wade around the house and see if I still have any windows.

Channel Four sent a reporter to Old Town for the minor flooding there. I'm convinced the City of Alexandria does nothing about the flooding problems because they always get the publicity, while only just minor disruptions to business. In fact, the Starbucks gang doesn't even blink an eye!

Centreville VA Overnight wind gust(s) blew over my bamboo bean poles that I had tucked in a fenced corner. It must have been howling last night but we didn't hear a thing.
Lots of standing water on the roads.....nasty commute this morning. It's 62 degrees & the first day of December & we've got a morning tornado watch. Nothing seems weird anymore.

rwalker66:
Same thing happened to me in Silver Spring around 9:40. When I went outside, it was only sorta misting and it was warm enough that I left my jacket open and put my hat in my pack. As I got toward metro (10 minute walk), it got darker and windier and started pouring. Had my coat zipped and my hat on by the time I got to the platform, which was kinda hellish with buckets of rain and tons of wind, especially coming through between the playform and the awning covering it. Actually, was better to stand out in the rain to avoid all the wind and lateral rain that comes with the covering. But yeah, cold.

reporting from the barcroft plaza starbucks:
about 40 mins ago we had 5 mins of heavy rain and wind at my h. home/office. it's all done now. nothing i would call "dangerous" or "impressive" or anything... but... sure enough we lost $#%!ing power... so i took my laptop to starbucks... grrr...

@ Walter - that line that developed over DC was definitely both dangerous and impressive - especially so for December...visibility out my 4th floor window (facing North on 18th St) was down to only a few hundred feet, tops...very heavy stuff and the winds were bringing debris by my window - 50 feet up. A legit storm and the tornado warning about 15 miles to my south verifies this. The atmosphere was juiced like Barry Bonds this morning...

(recovering a bit of bravado) but my comment was more an indictment of dominion electric than awe about the weather. but i agree it's kind of funny in a cosmic justice kind of way or something... dang.

DullesARC,
wow, must have been quite a sight. even though i lost power i'd still say we didn't have anything like that in falls church.